RHS to host Cyclone Relays on FridayRussellville Cyclones head track coach Charlie Goodman joked he may have become too aggressive while planning the annual Cyclone Relays held yearly at Cyclone Stadium. Last year, with 680 participating athletes, the meet became the largest regular season meet in the state, Goodman said. When Russellville hosts the 59th annual Cyclone Relays on Friday, there’s a good chance it’ll earn that honor again. “It ought to be fun,” Goodman added. “Last...

Cyclones beat AlmaBENTON — The Russellville Cyclones defeated the Alma Airedales 5-3 in their final game of the Central Arkansas Invitational tournament held on Saturday. Trailing 1-0, the Cyclones (5-5) scored three runners in the second inning, and one in the third and fourth innings to take a 5-0 lead over the Airedales. Alma scored two in the sixth, but Russellville held on to close out the victory. Cyclones pitcher Jacob Barker pitched all six innings and ...

Cyclones fall short in 7th-inning lossBENTON — For the second game in a row, the Russellville Cyclones fell short in a seventh-inning rally. The Cyclones (4-5) scored four runners in the bottom of the seventh to pull within one run of the Springdale Har-Ber War Eagles during Saturday’s 7-6 loss in the second round of the Central Arkansas Invitational tournament. The final moments of the game were painfully reminiscent to Russellville’s 7-6 loss to the Arkadelphia Badgers on Friday...

Eckart wins $500 scholarship in tournamentHOPE — Dover Lady Pirates left fielder Alivia Eckart got more than just a few extra games in over spring break when the Lady Pirates participated in the 2014 Debora McMasters Memorial Invitational Softball Scholarship tournament the weekend of March 24. Eckart was among several seniors from across the state to be awarded a scholarship on the final day of the tournament. Eckart said she had no expectations of winning when she entered. She had m...

Cyclones fall short in 7th-inning rallyBENTON — The Russellville Cyclones nearly pulled the upset against the Arkadelphia Badgers in the first round of the Central Arkansas Invitational tournament on Thursday. Russellville (4-4) trailed 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, but scored four runs to set the final score at 7-6. Cyclones head coach Matt Long said it should have had a different outcome. Russellville loaded the bases with two outs, then stole home on a wild pitch that...

Adkins provides drive for Lady CyclonesRussellville High School senior Zoey Adkins isn’t satisfied with her state finals experiences with the Lady Cyclones. When Adkins was a sophomore, Russellville lost by one run in the Class 6A state championship game to the Lake Hamilton Lady Lady Wolves on a questionable call at home plate. Her junior year, the Lady Cyclones defeated the Benton Lady Panthers 2-1 for the state title, but Adkins was a spectator with a torn ACL. She suffered the ...

Schrepfer blazes leadership for ApachesPOTTSVILLE — Something changes when Pottsville High School senior Blayze Schrepfer puts on the Apaches baseball uniform. Pottsville head coach Wes McCrotty isn’t exactly sure what it is, but he knows he can count on it to help the Apaches win games. “Out of uniform he’s kind of a free spirit,” McCrotty said. “Kind of happy-go-lucky, but it’s almost like he lives for (baseball) when the lights come on.” In 10 games Schrepfer, who did not start ...

HS Fishing World Finals returns in JulyPONCA CITY, Okla. — The Bass Federation (TBF) announced the 2014 High School Fishing World Finals will once again return to Lake Dardanelle and the city of Russellville. The event dates are July 15-19 at Lake Dardanelle State Park. “We are thrilled to host this event again in the city of Russellville,” Christie Graham, executive director of tourism for Russellville, said. “This event continues to grow every year and has become a terrific famil...

Little Johns remain undefeated at 7-0DANVILLE — Little Johns head coach Zach Hettinga doesn’t know if his team can stay undefeated through the final stretch of 3A-4 Conference games that kick off on Monday, but he’s certain they’re going to try. “I don’t want to say it’s not a possibility,” he said. “But I don’t know if it’s probable. Our conference is really tough, but we’ve played a really tough schedule up to this point, so I’m sure that’s really helped.” The Little Johns are ...

Lady Cyclones move to 8-0LITTLE ROCK — The Russellville Lady Cyclones upended the two-time defending Class 5A state champion White Hall Lady Bulldogs 3-1 on Friday at North Little Rock in the first round of the Tournament of Champions at Burns Park. Lady Cyclones (8-0) pitcher Andrea Kendrick came up big in the third inning with a bases-loaded single, scoring Rachel Russell and Victoria Teague. White Hall’s Madison Martin cut the lead in half with a solo home run in t...

RHS Lady Cyclones beat White Hall 3-1NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The Russellville Lady Cyclones upended the two time defending 5A state champion White Hall Lady Bulldogs 3-1 on Friday. The game was first round action of the Tournament of Champions at Burns Park. Andrea Kendrick came up big in the third inning with a bases loaded single, scoring Rachel Russell and Victoria Teague. White Hall’s Madison Martin cut the lead in half with a solo home run in the top of the fifth. The Lady Cyclo...

Big sixth inning costs Russellville CyclonesLITTLE ROCK — The Russellville Cyclones gave up seven runs in the sixth inning of their 9-6 loss to the Little Rock Parkview Patriots on Thursday. The Cyclones (4-3, 2-1 7A/6A-Central Conference) led 4-2 going into the inning and managed two runs in the top of the seventh to set the final score. Andrew Elam was 1-for-4 at bat with two RBI. Mark Moyer was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Michael Mullen was 1-for-4 with two RBI for the Cyclones. Austin Robi...

Pirates rally, beat Sand LizardsDOVER — The Dover Pirates needed every inning to defeat the Dardanelle Sand Lizards on Friday at J.P. Lovelady Park. It was Taylor Moudy's walk-off single that lifted the Pirates to a 7-6 win, but the road there wasn't quite as comfortable as Dover head coach Jason McGhee would have liked. The Pirates (6-3) led 5-2 going into the seventh inning, but after pitcher Seth Cheak gave up a hit, struck out one, and walked Clint Smallwood, relief pitc...

Sand Lizards fall to MayflowerDARDANELLE — The Sand Lizards gave up four runs in the sixth inning of their 10-5 loss to the Mayflower Eagles at Merritt Park, but Dardanelle head coach Will McCrotty saw plenty of positives from his team during Thursday’s game. “You know, we made some errors early on,” McCrotty said. “A lot of them were on routine plays, and we just never recovered. I think that was the difference in the ball game.” The Eagles scored twice on wild pitches by...

Walk-off single lifts Clarksville over PottsvilleCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville Panthers baseball team provided its own version of March Madness on Thursday as Bailey Dougan hit a walkoff single to give CHS a 7-6 victory over the Pottsville Apaches. After scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Clarksville took a 6-3 lead to the seventh. However, Pottsville scored three runs, with the last coming on a two-out single to knot the score at 6-6. It was in the bottom half of the seventh tha...

Kindrick named SC Region top playerRussellville High School junior Andrea Kindrick was named the Max Preps South-Central Region Player of the Week, after helping the Lady Cyclones to three victories last week. Kindrick posted a .667 batting average (6-for-9) with two home runs and four RBI, and recorded three straight pitching wins from the circle with a 0.33 ERA and 45 strikeouts over just 21 innings. She struck out 17 and was 2-for-2 at the plate during a 2-0 triumph over Nor...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Cyclones skin Grizzlies 5-1Russellville Cyclones pitcher Mark Moyer struck out 16 during the Cyclones’ 5-1 victory over the Fort Smith Northside Grizzlies on Tuesday at M.J. Hickey Park. Cyclones head coach Matt Long said Moyer’s performance was exactly the sort of thing he’s come to expect of the junior. “Mark is one of those types of players that old-school coaches call a ‘gamer,’” Long said after the game. “When you put him in the game, you know you have a chance to ...

Dardanelle uses huge third inning to blast Two RiversDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Sand Lizards exploded for 10 runs in the third inning to run rule the Two Rivers Gators 15-4 Tuesday in nonconference action at Merritt Park. Dardanelle’s first 11 batters of the third inning reached base, and the Sand Lizards scored nine runs before Two Rivers recorded an out. The Gators took the first lead of the game on a two-run double to give Two Rivers a 2-0 lead. However, it did not take long for Dardanelle t...

Lady Red Devils rout Lady Eagles, 11-1ATKINS — The Lady Red Devils scored five runs in the first and five more in the second inning to beat the visiting Lady Eagles on Monday at McLaren Park. Alex Webb was 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, two runs, two singles and a double. Emily Ward went 1-for-3, but that one was a home run. She scored two runs and walked. Kaylen Martin went 1-for-2 with one walk and a run scored. Jordan Wilson went 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored. Ste...

Sand Lizards win in last inning effortDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Sand Lizards took advantage of a wild pitch to claim a 8-7 win over the Subiaco Trojans on Monday at Merritt Park. The Sand Lizards (4-3) stranded a runner on third in the top of the seventh to leave the game tied 7-7, before Turner Partain doubled, was moved to third on Jared Dawson’s single and finally stole home on a wild pitch to claim the victory. Dardanelle head coach Will McCrotty was pleased with Partain’s e...